Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium and a process for producing the same.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in an ink jet recording method, an increase in image recording speed is advancing. Even in the high speed recording, output of images with a high quality and miniaturization of a recording apparatus have been required.
First, in order to output images with high quality even in high speed recording, improvement in conveyance accuracy when conveying a recording medium is effective. Examples of a method of improving the conveyance accuracy include a method of using, as a conveying roller to be used for conveying a recording medium, a hardened roller. By using a hardened conveying roller, deterioration in conveyance accuracy due to deformation of the conveying roller at the time of conveyance can be suppressed. Contact with such a conveying roller however causes scratches or press traces (roller marks) on the side of the recording medium and provides an image with a deteriorated quality. The recording medium is therefore required to have high scratch resistance.
Next, for miniaturization of a recording device even in high speed recording, a method of conveying a recording medium while giving a large curvature thereto and thereby decreasing a conveying distance of the recording medium is cited. In this case, the curvature given to the recording medium sometimes causes cracks in the recording medium. The recording medium is therefore required to have high bending resistance.
Examples of a method of improving scratch resistance or bending resistance include a method of crosslinking an ink receiving layer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-239578 and Japanese Patent No. 3805246). Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-239578 discloses a recording medium having a porous layer composed mainly of an inorganic pigment and containing polyvinyl alcohol and boric acid. This porous layer has a structure in which the hydroxyl groups of the polyvinyl alcohol have been crosslinked through hydrogen bonding via boron. Japanese Patent No. 3805246 discloses a recording medium having a coloring-material-receiving layer composed mainly of an inorganic pigment and containing polyvinyl alcohol and a polyvalent metal salt. This coloring-material-receiving layer has a structure in which the hydroxyl groups of the polyvinyl alcohol have been crosslinked through covalent bonding via a metal atom.